The Legend of Zelda: The Chosen
by Black Lotus13
Summary: He was and ill omen. The child of misfortune who would bring tragedy upon them, cursed to bear the mark of the gods and haunted by the shadow that plagued his mind. Yet, even in the darkest places, there is a light that can only be seen by those who's spirit remains unbroken.
1. Prologue: Legends and Myths

**I used to write fan fiction quite frequently, but it's been several years now. I fear my writing skills may be a bit shaky but, nevertheless, I will endeavor to keep this story interesting, as it has been crashing around in my head for some time now. Hope you enjoy.**

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**Prologue: Legends and Myths **

This is but one of the legends passed down by your kind.

Long ago, before time began, before the spirits and life existed, three golden goddesses descended upon the chaos that would later be known as the land of Hyrule.

Din, the goddess of power, Nayru, the goddess of wisdom, and Farore, the goddess of courage.

Din, with her strong arms, cultivated the land and created the red earth.

Nayru poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world.

Farore, with her rich soul, produced all life forms that would uphold the law.

The three goddesses, with their labors complete, departed for the heavens. The sacred relic, the triforce was left at the place where the goddesses departed our world. Since that time, the sacred treasure has become the basis of our world's providence, and its resting place is known as the sacred realm.

The three goddesses hid the triforce somewhere in Hyrule, for it is said that its mighty power will grant the wish of any person who holds it.

If someone with a righteous heart makes a wish, it will lead Hyrule to a golden age of prosperity. However, if someone with and evil heart has his wish granted, it is foretold that the world will be consumed with darkness.

In order to protect the triforce from evil, the ancient sages built the temple of time, which houses the entrance to the sacred realm from our world. They then sealed the entrance so that only those who proved themselves truly worthy of the gods' power could ever hope to enter.

However, darkness is a power that never sleeps. As time passed, the hearts of men grew evil. A great civil war broke out over the land of Hyrule. All sought to claim the sacred realm and the power within it.

In the midst of the bloodshed, a man from the desert, of the Gerudo tribe emerged. The man who was called the Demon King had strength in battle that could be rivaled by none. His might and lust for power brought both sides clamoring for his allegiance in the war. Rather than submitting to their demands, he slew all who approached him and claimed the Sacred Realm for himself. However, as he approached the triforce, something occurred that none could have anticipated.

In one last attempt to preserve the fate of the world, the triforce shattered into three pieces, two of which fled the Demon King. The single piece that remained in his grasp, although granting him unimaginable power, was not enough to satiate his greed.

To put an end to his reign, the goddesses ordered the sages to seal him away along with the Sacred Realm.

With its power shattered, the goddesses did all they could to safeguard the triforce until it could once again become whole again.

Nayru entrusted her fragment to the royal family who was victorious in the war, as a sign of her favor and their divine right to rule the land.

Din, having her piece consumed by evil, suppressed its power for a thousand years, ensuring that Hyrule would have time to recover before the day the Demon King escaped his prison.

Lastly, Farore sent the final piece of the triforce into the wind, ordering that it only take its rest with an unbreakable spirit, so that Hyrule would always have a champion to defend it.

Hyrule entered an era of peace and untold prosperity. The royal family ruled with a firm but kind hand and was beloved by the people. The summers where mild and crops grew in abundance and none went hungry in the winter months. The many races coexisted in harmony.

The only remaining tension to be found were on the borderlands, which were secluded from the rest of Hyrule by the Lost Woods that surrounded the kingdom.

It was in the heart of these woods that the last remaining power of the Demon King escaped and preyed upon the people of the border villages, making it nearly impossible for them to pass through the woods and filling their hearts with fear until the peoples' hearts became so hard that they cursed the goddesses, blaming them for their suffering.

And that, as you might guess, is where our story begins.


	2. Chapter 1: The Boy and His Shadow

**It's taken me some time to write this chapter. Honestly, even though this idea has been nipping at my heels for well over a year, I never really took the time to organize my thoughts. This resulted in the writing and rewriting of this chapter several times over. I only hope that you will find it entertaining.**

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**Chapter 1: The Boy and His Shadow**

Link lay on his small bed underneath a threadbare quilt, staring up at the ceiling and wishing for morning to come. Not that it would help. Despite what everyone else seemed to think, he wasn't quite that deluded, but anything had to be better than being alone with his thoughts.

"_Coward. Run to mother, why don't you."_

A cold voice said from the darkness. Link clenched his fist, determined to not let _it _get a rise out of him.

"_Ignore me all you want, boy. It won't make me disappear." _It chuckled mockingly.

Link lifted his shaky hands to cover the pointed ears surrounded by his dull blonde hair. _It isn't real. _He told himself, repeating the words his mother had told him so many times. _It isn't real. You must put an end to these ridiculous delusions. What will the neighbors think?_ She had said. It was the mantra she had repeated over and over, ever since he was a small boy.

"'_What will the neighbors think?'" _The voice mocked. _"Honestly, what does it matter? Everyone in this goddess forsaken dump already believes you to be a raving lunatic." _

The boy tightened his hold over his ears, vainly trying to block out the unwelcome voice. He would not acknowledge _it_ this time. He needed to focus getting some sleep.

"_Now Link, I'm disappointed. It's terribly rude of you to ignore me, especially when we've been friends for such a terribly long time. Almost seventeen years now, isn't it? Wasn't it I who kept you company all these long years? Who protected you from harm when those fools cursed your existence? And for what; because they said you were an omen of misfortune, bearing the gods' cursed mark?" _the speaker spat the last part, as if it left a bitter taste in its mouth._ "Such a lonely child, aren't you? Some may call you mad, but we both know the truth." The voice _crooned. Link grit his teeth, knowing what _it_ would say next. _"You're just not blind like the rest of them." It_ whispered.

"Stop." Link said, finally breaking his silence. "Just leave." He begged in a raspy voice. The voice chuckled amusedly, _"Oh, but if I did that, who would watch over you? Who would make those fools who would dare lay a hand on my property pay for their crimes? A sickly little lamb like you needs my guidance."_

He dared not respond, for fear of adding fuel to the other's tirade. _It _had always been there. Ever since he could first remember, that cold voice had always been there, whispering into his mind. Reminding him of just what he was: A weak boy with frail health who was nothing more than a burden upon his poor mother, who had been too kind to abandon him. It made him nauseous to listen to the voice. Always referring to him as an object, something that was merely allowed to exist for the sake of convenience. Reminding him who was truly in control of their lives. Telling him that there was nothing he could truly call his own. Always, the shadow would hound him, never releasing him from _its_ grasp. He was like a broken puppet, that could be picked up and forced to perform at the puppeteer's beck and call. This point had been proven on several occasions, when control over his limbs had been wrested from him. He trembled violently at the memories. The feeling of being shoved to the sidelines as the stronger entity took control, forcing him to watch as his body committed crimes that he had no control over and then leaving him as a babbling mess to take the blame for the other's actions.

The voice came again, gently this time, like a parent soothing their child who just had a nightmare. _"Precious Child…" it_ whispered_. "So weak… so full of fear, don't you know that I will always be there to care for you? You must remember, I know what is best for the both of us. I've only ever taken control of this shell that you call a body to protect you from those fools who would wish you harm. On your own, they'd rip you to pieces. Then what would your poor mother do? You should learn to be more grateful for what I do for a pawn like you." _

Link was suddenly aware of a sharp pain in his chest. He curled up, suppressing the urge to cry out for help. _"If you should blame anyone, blame the goddesses, who cursed you! Who made you a stigma on the face of the earth!" _

Link gasped for breath before it was forcefully expelled in a fit of coughs. When next he tried to breath, he found that he could not. The pain in his chest flared again, but he could do not but he could do not but pray for it to pass.  
Then he felt it; the cold fingers that wrapped around his throat, preventing him from breathing.

"_Stop your squirming and listen well, you worm." It_ ordered. Link felt his entire body go limp. His vision swam from lack of oxygen, but not before he saw the two red orbs, glowing above him. The pressure on his throat relaxed slightly, allowing him to gulp in desperate, ragged breaths.

"_There now, things can be much simpler for you if you'll just do as your told and stop resisting me. The moment I've waited one thousand years for is drawing near."_

With his vision returning, Link focused intently on the glowing crimson orbs. They looked so familiar, and yet his hazy mind could not place them. _"Very soon things will change drastically. But never fear, little lamb. I will allow no harm to befall my favorite pet. After all, it's not every day one finds an 'unbreakable spirit' such as yours." It_ laughed, as if had just seen something terribly funny. "_Sleep now, you will need your strength, child." Its _voice said before fading.

Link's eyes began to dull as he drifted off. The last thing he saw were the fading red orbs. He finally remembered why they were familiar. They looked like eyes.

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**Well... That was relatively painless... To be honest, I'm not entirely satisfied with this chapter and may decide to revise it later... when I get around to it. Who knows...**

**Feels free to leave a review or not and I'll try to answer any questions you may have.**

**Until next time.**

**January 4, 2013**


	3. Chapter 2: Curses and Blessings

**Well I finally wrote this. I'm trying to update as ****consistently as possible, which is good for me because I really need to work on meeting deadlines. Maybe I should make a schedule for myself...  
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**One weird thing about me, I have trouble working during the day time, so I write most of my stories late at night and in the early morning. I've reread this several times, so I hope there aren't any grammar mistakes, but please feel free to point them out if you notice any, since I want this story to be as well-written as possible. I'll stop talking now, enjoy.**

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A small, calloused hand on his forehead roused him from his sleep. Outside the window, the sun had just begun to creep up over the trees, chasing away the last traces of night. His eyes focused on the woman in front of him. Her hair, which was once a brilliant gold, was now dirtied by years of hard work and stress. Her gaunt, sun-blistered face and dull green eyes made her look a good deal older than she really was. Mostly, she simply looked tired, as though she had seen too many things that she wished not to.

Her thin lips stretched into a strained smile as her only child opened his eyes. "Good morning, Link. How was your sleep?" She asked. The boy himself was much the same as his mother. Dull, dirty blonde hair falling into his face over eyes that should have been bright blue, turned grey by the years of hardship. His smile, however, was a good deal more honest than his mother's. "I slept well enough mother. I'm feeling much better today." He answered.

The woman's hand lingered on his forehead for a moment longer before she allowed it to drop to her side, "Well, the fever you had yesterday seems to have gone down. Will you be alright to help in the gardens today?" She asked. Link nodded as he rose from the bed slowly, making sure his legs were steady beneath him. Link was small for his age, coming only to his mother's chin. He was entirely too thin and pale, despite his long hours spent working outside, and was prone to falling ill often. Seeing him on his feet, his mother nodded her satisfaction, "Breakfast is ready. After we eat, we'll get strait to work on the harvest. Market day is tomorrow so we must be ready to deliver our crops to the vendor." She informed him as she exited the room.

Link quickly changed out of his nightclothes, tugging on his woolen shirt and breeches, which were slightly tattered, but still plenty functional. He had grown out of his boots at the end of the previous year and he and his mother would be unable to afford a new pair until after the last harvest, at which point they would visit the village cobbler with their saved rupees.

The last thing he did before leaving his room was to gather up the small pile of spare strips of fabric and loosely bound his left hand, covering the three glittering triangles emblazoned on the back. The people of the village called it a curse. "A bad omen." They would whisper as he passed. "Nothing good ever comes of that mark. Only war and destruction."

His mother used to tell him otherwise. She would tell stories of the land beyond the Lost Woods. Of the rolling green hills of Hyrule Field and prosperous villages and bustling towns and of the grand castle where the royal family resided. Mostly, she told him of the temples that had where built in reverence to the goddesses. _"But mother, the shaman and everyone else said that the goddesses have abandoned us. That my mark means that I am cursed to bring misfortune." He had said as a child. She shook her head, "Nay, my son. The mark you bear is the symbol of the goddesses' divine favor. The triforce is the ultimate symbol of power, created by the gods of old. You are destined for great things, my child." She said, embracing him. "Your father was a brave knight who fought for the king. He was struck down by a demon while defending you and I when you were still yet to be born. Perhaps someday you shall serve the royal family like your father."_

Link shook himself from his thoughts; it would do not good to dwell on the past. It had been many years since his mother had faith in the goddesses' mercy. Link knew that his mother's fancies of him becoming a knight and her hope that the goddesses' would answer her prayers had finally lost their charm. The death of his father, however long ago it had been, had left a scar on her heart that would never heal and Link's own health had never improved as she had hoped. Instead, she had suffered the ridicule of the entire village, bearing it on her own shoulders to shield her young son.

He entered their small kitchen and sat down on the wooden bench of the table, opposite his mother where his bowl of porridge was already set. They ate and washed their dishes in silence before heading out to the gardens to begin the day's work.

The sun shown brightly, making it terribly hot and humid. It was nearly autumn and the weather always seemed to fluctuate at random, some days being cool and cloudy, and the next day being almost unbearably hot.  
Both he and his mother picked up their large wicker baskets and garden tools and set about harvesting the ripe vegetables that served as their primary source of income.

They were several hours into their work and the sun had climbed high in the sky so it was beating down directly upon them, causing them both to sweat profusely. Link was struggling to uproot a particularly stubborn weed that had taken up residence with the onions when his vision blurred. He steadied himself on his hands and knees, his skin suddenly feeling cold and clammy. He blinked and forced his shaking hands to take hold of the thrice-blasted weed again, giving it several good tugs before it finally ripped free from the earth, roots and all. He fell backwards at the sudden lack of resistance and landed on his back, his legs going numb.

Heard a muffled voice and soon, his mother was leaning over him, saying something he couldn't understand. His chest felt like a lead weight had been placed on it, making it difficult to breath properly. He was faintly aware of the arm that wrapped around his waste, helping him to stand and walk back to the house.

Once inside, he was deposited on one of the chairs at the table. Moments later, a cool wet rag was pressed against his forehead. He could hear his mother's voice, but it was muffled and he couldn't understand what she was saying. He felt cold and then hot and then cold again, as if his body couldn't make up its mind. He was once again lifted from the chair, leaning heavily on his mother as she helped him to his bed. She wrapped his quilt around him and stroked his hair away from his forehead as gently as her calloused hands could. He fell into a dreamless sleep soon afterwards.

…

It was several hours later when he next woke with a pounding headache. The sun had already begun to melt into twilight outside his window, signifying the end of the day. He brought a hand to his head before sitting up and leaning heavily against the wall behind him. Moments later, his mother entered with a bowl of cabbage soup and cup something that smelled fowl, doubtlessly one of her home made remedies. When she saw him, she clucked her tongue, before setting the bowl and cup down on his dresser and approaching him. "You should not be sitting up on your own yet, boy." She chided wearily. She handed him the cup first, "Drink it all, and don't you dare say it tastes funny." She commanded mildly, smirking as the words died on her boy's lips. He quickly swallowed it, resisting the urge to throw up, just to rid himself of the concoction. However, his mother seemed satisfied and next handed him the bowl, waiting to see if he would drop it. Once she was convinced that he could indeed support it himself, she let go, allowing him to take small sips of the broth. Once he was done, he handed her the bowl and she collected the cup and made her way out to the kitchen.

As she pushed aside the curtain that separated the rooms, Link couldn't help but notice the two baskets of vegetables that the woman had, not doubt, been forced to collect alone. He felt guilt gnaw at him. He knew that she worried excessively over him even though, by all rights, he should have been old enough to care for them both. Why couldn't he even help with one simple task without causing trouble for the woman?

"_Now, little one, do not trouble yourself with such things. It simply won't do for you to upset your health further." _The voice said.

Link snorted, "What do you want?" he muttered, quietly enough so that his mother wouldn't hear from the other room.

"_Is that any attitude to take with someone who was only concerned with your wellbeing?" _it asked in mocking-hurt tone.

"'Concerned for my wellbeing?' That will be the day." Link responded. "Now answer my question, would you?"

_It _sighed dramatically, _"I merely thought I would inform you that you'll be going into town tomorrow, so you'd best be well rested." _

At that, Link's suspicion was roused, "Why must I go into town? You must know that, after what happened today, mother won't allow it." He said carefully.

"_You'll make sure she allows it."_ The other hissed. _"I have important business that I must tend to. After all, tomorrow is a big day for the both of us."_

"Business? What could you possibly have to do?" Link asked.

"_That…" _the other drawled, _"Is really none of your concern. All I need of you is for you to do as your told, I can take care of the rest."_

The room suddenly seemed cold and Link found himself unable to move. Even his eyes refused to look around and instead, simply stared blankly ahead. He felt an eerily familiar set of smooth, cold fingers running through his hair and petting his head gently. The voice whispered right in the boy's ear, _its _cold breath tickling his neck. _"I really needn't tell you what will happen should you try to disobey, boy." It_ taunted. _Its _fingers trailed down from the boy's hairline to his cheekbone, coming to rest there, intermittently stroking the pale skin of his face. _"Your poor mother suffers enough because of your weakness. Do you really want to cause her even more suffering? Remember that your simple acts of obedience are all you can do to spare her from the pain that I could inflict." _

Then, as quickly as it appeared, the cold fingers disappeared and he found his body once again under his own control. He breathed heavily, still shaken from the experience.

"_Remember." _Was the last thing the voice said before fading away completely. At that moment, his mother reentered the room with a damp rag, "Now, I want you to get your rest tonight. If you're still feeling poorly in the morning, I'll take the harvest into town." She said, helping him to lie down before placing the rag on his forehead. He did his best to smile at her, "Thank you, mother but… I think I shall be fine by the morning. Please don't worry about me." He assured her. Her eyes lingered on him for a moment, "It can't be helped. I always worry about you." She huffed; unaware at the way her son flinched at those words. She ruffled his hair lightly, "Now go to sleep. I'll see you in the morning." She said before leaving.

Link closed his eyes, "Good night mother."

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**As always, reviews are appreciated. I hope to have the next chapter up soon, so I hope you'll check back in on this story.**

**January 5, 2013**


	4. Chapter 3: Monster

**So... yeah. Honestly, this chapter sucks. I was really happy about the way it starts but the ending kinda kills me. I'm really, genuinely disappointed with this chapter.**

**Lots of ****angst ahead and I don't know if I did an even half-okay job at writing it since I kinda suck at writing angst... ugh.**

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**Chapter 3: Monster**

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" His mother asked for the fifth time that morning. Link had been up earlier than usual to leave for the village square. He offered the woman a shaky half smile,

"I'm fine. It was just a little fever." He lied. Truthfully, he felt worse now than he had before. Despite the fact that it was cloudy and much cooler, his entire body felt as if it was on fire and any sudden movements made his head ache. His mother pressed her lips into a thin line as she set a bowl of warm porridge in front of him. Even the nearly scentless, bland meal made his stomach roll at the mere thought of eating it.

Fortunately, she excused herself briefly to fetch something from her room and Link used the opportunity to transfer his helping back into the pot that it had been taken from.

When she returned, link made a show of removing the empty spoon from his mouth and taking the now empty bowl to the basin of water used for washing the dishes. She smiled approvingly at his appetite and offered him a second helping, which he adamantly declined. Seeing as he would not change his mind, she produced a brown bundle of cloth. Unfolding it revealed that it was her own worn hooded cape.

"It may rain today. You must take care not to catch cold." She warned, draping the warm fabric over her son's shoulders.

Link chuckled appreciatively at her antics. Once she had fixed it in place by the plain clasp at the front, she handed the boy both baskets of vegetables.

"I'm sorry you have to go to all this trouble. I really do wish we could just sell the blasted things ourselves." She apologized.

Link placed a hand on her shoulder, "It's fine, I understand why. Maybe it's not fair, but it's the way things are. Besides, it's good for me to get out and about once in a while." He said with a weak smile.

Without hesitation, his mother pulled him into a tight hug, "You're a good boy Link. Someday… maybe someday things will get better for us." Startled, it was all Link could do to set down the baskets and return her embrace. After all, it had been a long time since he had heard her sound so optimistic.

A few moments later, he pulled away and gathered up their harvest. "I'll be back soon." He promised.

She smiled in return, her tired eyes seeming to light up, just a bit. "I'll see you then." She said. She placed a small kiss on his forehead and sent him on his way.

He had no way of knowing that it would be the last time he saw her smile.

…

The road from their home to the village square could hardly be called a long walk. The village itself was fairly small and, although Link and his mother lived on the very edge, it took no more than an hour or and an hour and a half at most to reach his destination.

Every two months, the village would gather for market day, to sell what they had or buy what they didn't. The people would set up their make-shift stalls all day to sell meat, oil, produce, cotton, or anything else they could supply.

For this reason, every market day, Link or his mother would set out early in the morning to sell the produce from their garden to the man who owned the produce stall. He was a stingy man who would never pay much for the fruits of their labor, but it was the only way they found they could sell their crops, as no one wanted to buy from outsiders like Link and his mother.

Link sighed, exasperated at the thought. Although it had been almost seventeen years, everyone knew that Link's widowed mother had stumbled upon their small civilization completely by chance. The woman had appeared out of the forest one day on horse back, heavily injured and obviously pregnant. She had passed out soon afterward and the village shaman at the time, and elderly man, had nursed her back to health. When she finally woke up, she told him of the demons that had attacked her and her husband who had been struck down defending her. They had chased her all the way through the Lost Woods before she made it to the secluded little village. Upon hearing her tale, the old man kindly invited her to stay in his house, the very one where they still lived after the man's death. It had only been because of his generosity, that the village had not demanded that she leave after her son had been born with the mark of the triforce. Nevertheless, it was nearly impossible to convince anyone to trade with them, making their only option to depend on the lazy vegetable farmer, who was all too eager to buy their produce for cheap.

…

Link's entire body ached by the time he reached the market. It was still early enough that most people were just now rising, except for the other vendors, who were busily setting up their stalls. Link approached the produce stall where he was forced to wait for another fifteen minutes for the owner to make his appearance.

When at last he showed, he grimaced at the sight of the scrawny blonde boy waiting for him, but then turned his eyes to the fresh vegetables that he carried. "The blazes yeh think y'er doin' 'ere this early, boy?" He drawled.

Link rolled his eyes at the man, "Well, if you're not interested in what I have, then I'll be on my way." He threatened. They went through this routine every time. The man would scowl and curse at the boy but ultimately buy his entire load for a good deal less than what they were worth.

"Y'er awful snippy today." The man replied before removing his wallet from his belt.

Link unloaded the basket's contents into their designated trays while the other man eyed the produce skeptically. "I'll give yeh ten rupees for the lot of'em." He grunted.

Link crossed his arms, "You're a farmer, so you must know how much work it takes to produce this much, I won't take less than thirty rupees." He said stubbornly.

The man grit his teeth, "I'll give yeh fifteen. More then the sorry bunch is worth." He insisted gruffly, but Link stood his ground and demanded no less than twenty-five rupees. As it happened, they eventually settled on twenty even and were both left feeling cheated. Link shoved the four blue rupees he was handed into his pocket before gathering up the now empty baskets and leaving the vegetable merchant.

By that time, most of the stalls had opened and a few early risers were having the first pick of the day's wares. Link approached a stall selling various kinds of meat for a range of prices. The old butcher's son who was a good ten years older than Link had been placed in charge of the stall and sneered as Link approached, "Get on. I'll have nothing to do with you if I can help it." He barked. Link ignored his comment and produced one of the blue rupees he had recently acquired. "I've got five rupees so I'll take whatever that will buy." He said as civilly as he could. The butcher's son was outraged by Link's blatant rudeness. "Didn't you hear me, you little skulltula, I told you to get!" He shouted. Link was about to retort when the door to the butcher's house slammed open. "Boy!" The old butcher shouted at his son. "What in the name of Hyrule do yeh think y'er doin'?" The old man, still in his nightclothes, stomped over to where his son was sputtering some excuse. The man swiped up the blue rupee and, in return, shoved a small parcel of salted meat into Link's hands. The old man then turned back to his son, "I don't give a deku's nuts where the money's comin' from, boy! Yeh think we can afford to be picky?" The son began muttered some form of apology to the irate man. At this point, the loud argument was beginning to draw the disapproving looks of the other shoppers and Link, not wishing to be caught up in a commotion, quietly slipped away.

The rest of his shopping escapade was comparatively uneventful, although the woman who he bought flour from gave him a rather scathing look as she pocketed his second blue rupee.

In a short time that it took for Link to complete his errands, the sky had darkened considerably. The air became thick and humid and he could hear bursts of thunder nearby. Link set off by the dirt path that lead away from the center of the village. His load considerably lighter, he walked with a slight spring in his step as he absently mindedly hummed and old lullaby that his mother used to sing.

About twenty minutes out from the village and entirely without prelude, it began to rain heavily. Link pulled the hood of the cloak over his head and did his best to keep the baskets and groceries under the warm fabric to keep them dry. He never noticed the three figures following behind him, the sound of their heavy footsteps drowned out by the rain.

There was no warning and no chance to escape the large stone that was hurled at the side of his head. He fell into the mud, ears ringing and eyes blurry. He hurried to right himself but was grabbed by both arms and hauled to his feet. As his eyes began to clear, he could make out the face of a boy standing in front of him, and two others restraining either arm. "Well, what have we here?" The first boy, a muscular brunette chuckled. "A stray dog playing out in the rain." He continued. Link didn't need to see to know who it was. Ever since he was a child, these three had persecuted him every time they laid eyes on him. Their leader was a gigantic ape of a boy named Koda, who enjoyed no sport greater than pushing around those weaker than him, his favorite target being Link.

Link locked eyes with his life-long enemy, anger welling up inside of him. "Leave me alone, Koda. I don't have time for you and your flunkies." He snarled weakly. The other only seamed mildly amused at Link's attitude. "Now what's that supposed to mean? You don't wanna play with us?" Without waiting for a response, he sent his fist colliding with Links stomach. The air was knocked from him, leaving him coughing and sputtering, hanging limply between his tormentor's two goons.

The boy on Link's left sneered at the boy's weakness, "C'mon Koda, teach this freak a lesson in manners." He said with a giggle.

"Like I need your permission, Ren." the leader grunted indignantly. Link began to struggle against his captors, "P-please… just let me go… I have to go home…" Link wheezed desperately. He received another firm hit to the stomach in return. Koda's beefy hand grabbed a cluster of his matted hair, forcing his head up to stare his tormentor directly in the eyes. Link trembled in the large boy's grip, no longer daring to struggle or beg for mercy. "Really now…" Koda began, his hot, putrid breath causing Link to gag. "Just what do you have to do that's so terribly important?" He mocked, tightening his grip on the blonde. "Got to run home to your filthy whore of a mother?"

For a moment, the world seemed to slow as Link registered what the lumbering oaf had said. Then, he felt rage build inside of him, burning hot, like nothing he had ever felt. He wanted to rip this _idiot_ to shreds! How dare he? How dare this pig insult his mother? Link wanted to make him pay! Wanted to make him swallow those words!

A large fist rammed against Link's face, jarring him from his internal rant as his head jolted, only to be pulled back by the hand still holding him by his hair. "What's wrong? Got nothing to say? You know I'm right. That filthy skank comes traipsing into _our _village, raving about being the wife of some knight? Do you really think anyone is fool enough to believe that load of Dodongo crap! And then, to make things even worse, she contaminates our homes with her little demon spawn!" He wrenched Link away from the other two and threw him down on the ground and placed his boot on the back of his head, driving it into the mud. "You're pathetic. I'd be doin' the village a favor if I got rid of you." He kicked the boy in the ribs, forcing him to roll over on his back. He smirked maliciously at the prone figure beneath him. "Go ahead, scream and cry. No one's gonna help you."

Link stared blankly at the hulking teen as he raised his muddied boot, preparing to strike at his victim. _I wish… you would just die. _The thought came unbidden. No sooner had it crossed his mind than a familiar presence rose up within him.

"_Thank you little one. That's all I needed to hear." It _said smugly.

Link suddenly felt like he was falling. Everything went dark and he felt completely numb except for the cold sensation that ran up his spine. When his vision returned, he could see Koda's boot connect with his side, but he felt no pain; he was merely a spectator now.

His own hand reached out of its own accord, snatching the other boy's ankle and, with a strength that Link knew for certain was not his, crushed it. The bones made a sickening snapping sound as they broke. The sound was soon drowned out by Koda's shrill screams as he collapsed to the ground in an ungraceful heap.

"Well… if you really want to play, I suppose the three of you will serve my purpose as well as any." The words came from Link's mouth and in his voice, but Link knew they were not his.

"_Stop! What are you doing?" _Link screamed, struggling to regain control of his body, his voice unheard by all but the darkness that had taken control of him.

Link's mouth let loose a giggle that almost sounded innocent, "Oh, but my dear little one, is this not what you wanted?" _It _crooned through _its _puppet. "They've hurt you. Damaged what belongs to me. I simply must punish such wayward children." _It _turned to face the three cowering boys. There was something not right; even they could see that something was off. Somehow, this was not the same boy staring at them. Without a moment's hesitation, he grabbed one of them, the boy named Ren by the throat. Ren's eye's widened. His hands flew to the bony fingers that held him, clawing desperately in a vain attempt to escape.

Link tried to move, tried to stop the scene unfolding before him. _"No! I didn't mean it! I didn't! You can't do this!" _He cried.

A grin spread across the possessed shell of the boy, "Oh… but you did. Do not deny that you've longed for this. Longed for someone to exact your vengeance on these… maggots." His grip tightened around the thrashing teen, eliciting a pitiful, breathless squeal. "That's right. Whine like the animal you are. I want you to beg for your pathetic life."

The third boy, who had remained silent up to this point, slowly started inching away. He didn't get far, however, before _it _locked eyes with him. "Leaving so soon, are we? You'll miss the best part." I_t _snarled beforegrabbing either side of the choking boy's face with his free hand and forced the boy to turn his head, carelessly examining his profile. "If you're going to skip out on the party, you should at least say goodbye to your dear friends." The grip on the boy's face tightened and _it _continued to force his head to the side. The boy whimpered at the pain in his strained neck, but his cries were cut short by the unmistakable splintering sound of breaking bones. The boy's facial features immediately went slack as his eyes glossed over and he stopped struggling to breath. With a wicked grin, Link's hand continued to swivel head upon the now limp neck until it was completely backwards on the dead teen's body, dull eyes staring emptily at the boy who had been trying to escape only moments before. "Say goodbye." _It _said darkly before throwing the lifeless body to the ground.

_It _could feel Link's fear welling up from where the child was imprisoned within himself._ It_ chuckled approaching the still trembling form that had previously sought to escape. Without hesitation, _it _brought a bare foot down on the boy's knee, shattering it on impact and eliciting a scream of pure agony. "Can't have you running off just yet. I'm not quite through here."

He now turned to Koda, who was clutching his ankle and cowering in the mud. "Now now, what happened to all that bravado? I had hoped that you would at least be mildly entertaining. But look at you; you're just as pathetic as the next of your race." _It _kneeled down beside him and reached out, cupping his face in _its _hand gently. "Now hush, don't cry, child. You shall not suffer the same fate as your… ah… associate." A smile made its way onto Link's face, and poor Koda had the nerve to look hopeful. _It _finally continued, "No… your punishment will have to be a bit more firm." _It _sneered. The hand on Koda's face pushed him back to the ground before the other hand rested on his chest, holding him in place.

Koda shook fearfully, "P-please, Link… it… it was all in good fun… w-we didn't mean any of it, I swear!" He pleaded pathetically.

The shadow shrieked with laughter at the sorry sight. The pathetic mortal trembled beneath _its _powerful grasp. _It_ smiled sweetly, savoring the fear _it _felt.

When the fit had finally subsided, _it _grinned wickedly at the boy, "You still don't get it do you? Come now, I know that even a filthy pig like you cannot be that daft. Surely even one such as you could not confuse me with that trembling little worm!"

The hand on Koda's chest lifting in the air, dangling inches away from its target, "I must thank you though. This outing has proved to be quite productive. I thought I would have to wait around all day to find someone for my little project. How kind of you and your buffoons to present yourselves to me."

Koda stared warily at the raised hand before chalking up the courage to speak, "W-what does that even mean?" He stuttered.

The shadow lowered Link's face until the mouth was level with the other child's ear, "I needed your help to prepare for the arrival of my master. The only thing left standing in the way was one pitiful, mortal child with a so-called, unbreakable spirit. Tell me, how does one go about defeating an enemy whose spirit cannot be broken?" Before He had time to respond to the riddle, a sharp pain erupted in his chest as the gaunt hand slammed through him. He felt warm blood well up in his throat, causing him to gag on the substance. "You destroy his heart." Was all he heard before the darkness took him.

_It _laughing, keeling over as the sensation rushed through him. Fear. He could taste it, bittersweet on his tongue. "What do you think, little one?" He asked, raising the borrowed hand so it was in his clear line of sight. "Such a beautiful color. I must say, it really suits you." He said, bringing the bloodied hand to his mouth, licking the coppery blood from it. _It _laughed again. _It _knew that_ it_ had won. _It _could practically feel the terror as it rolled off the imprisoned child in waves.

_It _wanted to taste more, but that would have to wait. _It _still had one more loose end to tie up. Turning to the last remaining survivor, _it_ delivered a sharp kick to the boy's side. "Crawl back to your village. Tell them what's happened here… go before I change my mind."

The boy needed no further warning. He took off at a snails pace, sobbing as he dragged his broken and bleeding form along.

Link stared at the pitiful figure through his prison within himself. The world seemed to tilt precariously to the side before Link found himself stumbling, his legs seeming to turn to jelly as control of the limbs was forcefully returned to him. His vision blurred and everything seemed to merge together. The last thing he remembered were a pair of burning crimson eyes.

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**...Yeah... sorry.**

**Anyways, hopefully the story will actually start to progress in the next chapter, so if any of you decide to stick around after reading this sorry excuse for an update, I hope you'll enjoy it.**

**As always, leave a review if you feel like it and, hopefully, I'll see you again in the next chapter... Yeah... I'm going to sleep now.**

**January 9, 2013**


	5. Chapter 4: Run

**Hi... yeah it's been a while. My only excuse is that my college schedule has been killing me and I simply haven't found the time work on this. Unfortunately, the little writers that live up in my brain are on strike. **

**To be honest, I'm not terribly good at writing angst (You may have noticed) and these last two chapters have been difficult for me to write. Hopefully, the future chapters will be less ****angsty and, therefore, a good deal more fun to write.**

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The world slowly crawled back into focus, drawing him toward consciousness. For a long time, he simply stared in front of him, not bothering to move in the darkness. The inky blackness surrounded him, enveloping him in its smothering embrace, so dark that, for a moment, he wasn't sure if he had opened his eyes. The shivering that racked his body without warning broke his stupor. He was suddenly, acutely aware of the icy bite that clung to the air. The rain had mostly ceased, only releasing sporadic mists that chilled to the bone. The warm humidity of the previous day had given way to a cold snap, leaving the landscape cruel and grey from the weather's abuse.

Link released a visible cloud of breath that he didn't know he had been holding. He lethargically brought his hands to his mouth, warming the numb fingers with each puff of air.

As feeling crept back to his limbs, he found himself taking in his surroundings. He was laying on the edge of the Lost Woods, a little ways off, the dirt path that he knew led home. He blinked a few times, allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness. He knew where he was, knew which way would take him home but, for the life of him, he couldn't understand what he was doing there. When he tried to remember, his head felt light and ached slightly, the memory fuzzy somewhere in the faintest part of his consciousness

He staggered to his feet, catching himself against the base of a tree as his knees threatened to give out. He wouldn't be here without good reason. He rarely ever ventured far from the bit of property that belonged to his mother and him.

_Did something happen? Why did I pass out?_

He stumbled toward to well-worn dirt road, following it toward the outskirts where he lived. He ran a hand through his wet, matted hair, trying desperately to remember what had happened. His mother had sent him into town to do… something. Probably selling the harvest… yes, that had to be it. Did something happen in town?

He scowled irritably as the memory evaded him. A heavy feeling had settled in his gut, an invisible force prodding at the edge of his mind, just out of reach.

Link trudged ahead, bare feet kicking against the fresh mud. Another shiver caused him to hug his cloak around his shoulders and pull the hood over his head. He felt nauseous and light-headed all at once and was almost certain that he would be ill for several days.

_Mom is never going to let me hear the end of this.  
_

He groaned at the thought. How could he have fallen asleep in the rain? He berated his own weakness. A sudden gust of wind chased his thoughts away, causing him to shiver and knocking the hood off of his head.

With a frustrated sigh, he jerked his arms up to reach for the fallen headpiece. On odd, and slightly painful sensation raced up his arms as the unusually clingy fabric of his wool shirt was torn away from his skin; like the sticky sap from the Deku Baba weeds that had budded in the garden the previous summer. They were nearly impossible to pull out of the ground and even more of a pain once they latched on an unsuspecting victim's arm or leg, gripping for dear life with mouths full of a viscous glue-like substance, in lieu of the razor-sharp teeth, which had not yet sprouted.

Link swore under his breath and brought his arm up to inspect the source of the discomfort, half expecting to find his arm covered in Deku Baba. He squinted his eyes, straining to see in the darkness.

He ran his other hand along his arm. He could feel traces of… something. In sporadic patches covering his arm, forming a barely discernible trail of the rough substance. Link followed it down his arm and found that it extended to his neck and his chest and abdomen.

It seemed that the rain had washed a good deal of it away, leaving only a slight difference in texture compared to what he was accustomed to. Link continued to prod at his clothes, trying discern just what he was covered in.

Another gust of wind caused him to stumble backwards. The gale blew angrily, causing the trees in the forest surrounding him to dance, as if enchanted. They swayed in unison, back and forth, as if knocking against some unseen force, roaring in protest at their invisible chains. Everything around him seemed to go into a frenzy: the grass, the dirt, and even the clouds as the wind hurried them along to bring their rain elsewhere.

As the rain heavy clouds were pushed along across the night sky, the moon's pale light burst through the broken barrier. Her cold, silvery light washed over the wet ground, causing the grass to glitter. Link found himself blinking at the sudden brilliance and had to take a moment for his dull blue eyes to adjust to this new light.

Once he was certain that the moon would not blind him, he lowered his hand that he had raised in defense against the unexpected light. As he did so, he caught sight of the dark stains running up his arm where he had felt stiff. Against the silver light, it looked black. The blotches appeared at random places on his clothes and even some on his skin where, although he felt no discomfort, the stain lingered.

Experimentally, Link brought the sleeve close to his face and inhaled, hoping to identify it by scent.

He quickly jerked his arm away from his nose and coughed. Although weak, it smelled distinctly of iron… or copper… but something more than that. It was too familiar. He felt that he should know that scent. As if he had smelled it too many times for it to be strange.

After taking a moment to recover, he brought the sleeve back, at a bit more distance. He knew this scent. This was… it was…

"_No one's gonna help you!"  
"Just die…"_

"_Thank you…"_

Link clutched his head, hazy images flooding his mind.

"_Don't deny it."_

"_Cant have you running off."  
Someone was screaming._

Link collapsed to his knees, panting as the scene crashed into him.

"_P-please…all in good fun…. Didn't mean any of it…"_

_There was more screaming… blood covered the ground, but not his own_

_The copper taste in his mouth, it made him gag, but he couldn't spit it back out._

_Someone was laughing. It was a shrill screeching laughter, like metal scraping against metal. It hurt his ears. He couldn't get away. Around him where bodies, lifeless, forever staring into the void, their last looks of pain and horror frozen in their glazed eyes._

He was on all fours, trying desperately not to fall over. Those images… he knew them. They were familiar. That was impossible.

"N-no…" He rasped out loud. His body felt impossibly heavy as the full weight of what had transpired settled on his shoulders. He had killed them. With his own bare hands, he had wrenched the life from them.

"No…"

The once blurred images became completely clear. The pain, the anger, the sick pleasure as he watched the light fade from their eyes.

He pitched forward, vomiting on the ground. It did nothing to relieve the nauseous feeling in his stomach. He felt so weak, his legs struggling to support him as he desperately struggled to his feet. This couldn't be happening. It just couldn't.

"I didn't… I wouldn't… w-why?" He muttered to himself, knowing he wouldn't receive an answer. The merciless wind pushed him forward, driving him down the path.

His entire being ached for home, for his mother's strained smiles, for the simple security of his threadbare quilt.

In his heart, Link knew that there could be no place for him there. His mind clamored for him to run, to survive, but all he could do was to stagger forward in the same direction, ignoring these warnings. His breaths were short and uneven. He staggered forward, looking like a drunk after a long night at the tavern. He no longer felt the cold, or the pieces of gravel that dug into his feet, or even the relentless wind. The only thing he could feel was the blood that now seemed to so heavy, clinging to his clothes and his skin. He could hear the screams of his victims, see the way their eyes pleaded for their lives.

"Stop…" He begged desperately. He didn't know what he was asking to stop, but it didn't really matter. He just wanted it all to stop. He wanted to wake up and find that this was some terrifying dream. He'd wake up in his small bed, with his mother pressing her gaunt hand to his forehead, muttering about fevers and homemade elixirs. Anything was better than this. He wished desperately that he was home.

Home…

The nausea returned full force. How long would it be before someone found the bodies… before they put two and two together? How long would he and his mother be safe in their home?

He was now running, legs wobbling and feet aching, but running just the same. He had to warn her. They had to leave. She wouldn't be safe. The same thoughts ran through his head over and over. How could this have happened? How could he have _let_ it happen?

Violent coughs racked his body as he rushed a particularly steep hill. His knees trembled threatening to give out as he fought back the spasms that raced from his shoulders and down his back. An itching sensation from his throat brought more coughs accompanied by the coppery liquid that he spat out. He didn't need to see to know it was blood. He was pushing himself too hard, he knew. But he couldn't stop. He had to keep moving.

He didn't know how long he ran. The dull countryside all seemed to blur together in his dazed attempt to reach his destination. He slowly began to recognize the small landmarks that told of the end of his journey. He felt a surge of relief rise up inside of him. With one last burst of strength, he reached the top of the hill he had climbed, knowing that just on the other side, would home. He had made it; everything would be all right.

It was…

He froze at the top. Gone…. It was all gone. Left in place of his small home was only charred wood and broken bits of glass. In small crevices where the rain wasn't able to reach, weak golden embers still smoldered.

His energy spent, Link simply allowed himself to tumble-down the other side of the hill, coming to a jarring halt at the bottom. He forced his exhausted limbs underneath him once more, swaying and walking toward the wreckage. The numbness returned, drowning out his exhaustion, pushing him forward.

He surveyed it with blank eyes, never blinking or looking away before diving into the destroyed home.

He pushed away one of the beams, not noticing how heavy it was, nor how the fading embers burned his hands. It was as if his body had gone into autopilot, completely disconnected from his mind.

He dug through the rubble for hours before he found what he was looking for. Or rather, who he was looking for. He noticed the pale, bony hand protruding from beneath a charred beam and the remains of a curtain. He made short work of the objects covering the woman, before gathering her up in his arms with surprising gentleness. Singed golden hair splayed in stark contrast to the cold blue-tinted skin and the eyes turned cold and grey with death.

She was cold, not breathing.

It was if he couldn't comprehend what he was seeing a first. It all seemed too surreal, too awful to be real. She couldn't be gone…

The harsh reality of it all knocked the breath from his lungs.

He frantically scanned the wreckage of their cottage, before the truth sank in. This was no accident. They knew… they knew what he had done, and his mother had paid the price.

"_Stand up." _A voice commanded. He obeyed without a second thought.

"_Run."_

And he did. He ran straight into the forest, full of its eerie sounds that echoed from every direction. He tripped over roots and bramble but didn't stop. He could only run and wouldn't allow himself to glance back.

Another ill placed root brought him tumbling to the ground. _Keep running_. He commanded himself, but his body would no longer respond.

Heaving coughs brought blood mixed with bile. Shivered and wept in a pathetic heap on the ground. Above the sound of blood pounding in his ears, he could hear the menacing growls of the creatures of the forest.

He supposed, briefly, that he would die there. Perhaps it would even be better to die… he wished he could.

He licked his lips nervously. "Din, Nayru… Farore." He rasped. "If any of you will hear me, please grant me death. There is no place in this world for me." He choked out the last part.

For a moment, he imagined that he saw a light in the distance and that he felt a warm hand on his shoulder accompanied by kind voice, speaking in garbled words. Then the world went dark, and he prayed that he would not wake again.

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**For anyone who's still bothering to read this... thing, I hope you enjoyed it and will bear with me as I trek through the arduous amounts of angst and general... emo-nonsense that my brain has somehow concocted.**

**As always, reviews and constructive criticism are deeply appreciated.**


	6. Chapter 5: A Vision and A Plan

**Well well well, look who's back from the dead. Yeah... I've actually been trying to write this for... a while now and I just wasn't satisfied with how it turned out. To be completely honest, I'm still not completely happy with it but hey, that's life. In my defense, I'm currently working two jobs while I'm on school break and that kinds eats up most of my time...**

**Anyways, to anyone who reads this, I hope that future updates will be more prompt... and hopefully not written at 2:00am when I can't sleep. **

**Well, with no further complaining, here is your update, enjoy.**

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The first time he woke, his head felt heavy. He feebly attempted to open his eyes, only to feel a gentle pressure on his forehead and a muddled voice speaking to him and he drifted back to sleep.

The second time, he bolted awake too quickly. His eyes were blurry and his entire body was in pain. He didn't know whether or not he screamed, but the moment he began thrashing, the blurred figure of a person was at his side. A strong pair of hands at his forehead and chest forced him to lie down. The rim of a bowl was pressed to his lips and a warm, bitter liquid trickled down his throat. He coughed several times, trying to rid himself of the unpleasant taste. Soon, his body began to feel weightless and numb as the pain subsided and he again lost consciousness.

…

_Darkness was the fist thing that greeted him. The darkness was all around him. Link stood still for a moment, unsure of what he was meant to do. _

_He took his first step forward; hesitantly making sure that the invisible ground wouldn't give out underneath him. Satisfied with the results, he continued forward._

_He didn't know how long he had wondered in the endless darkness. No matter which direction he went, nothing changed. It was maddening: the perfect prison. He sank to his knees; ready to give up, when he heard it._

_It was faint at first; so quiet that Link was quite certain that he had imagined it. Then he heard it again. There was a voice, barely a whisper, echoing through the darkness._

_His first instinct was to hide and hope that the thing, whatever it was, would pass him by. Unfortunately, there seemed to be no place for him to conceal himself. Link stumbled to his feet, ready to run or, if need be, fight. _

_The voice grew nearer. It was unfamiliar, a gentle voice that he had never heard. He could now hear what it said. _

"_Hello?" it asked._

_Link took a step back. His eyes darted around, trying to locate the source of the strange voice._

"_Hello? Is there someone there?" it asked again._

_He could now hear the sound of light footsteps, but they seemed to come from every direction. He breathed deeply, trying to calm himself, all the while dreading what was coming. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt a small hand on his shoulder. _

_He spun around quickly and jerked away from the offending appendage. _

_The owner of the hand stood before him, now in plain view._

"_So there is someone here. Why didn't you answer me before?"_

_The person before him was a girl, almost a woman, whom Link could only describe as beautiful. She had long golden hair which cascaded down her back and framed her fare, delicate face. She wore only a simple, modest white dressing gown, giving her and ethereal appearance. Link took all this in, but was transfixed with here eyes. They were blue, like his but, unlike his, they were full of warmth and life. Those eyes seemed to stare right through him, evaluating every aspect of his character in a moment's time. _

_A slight frown came to her pink lips as she approached him. _

"_Are you alright? Do not fear me, I mean you no harm." She said reassuringly._

"_Who…Who are you?" Link said, finally coming out of his stupor._

_The frown that she wore instantly transformed into a warm smile that lit up her eyes. "I am Zelda, Princess and heir to the throne of Hyrule. Who are you?"_

_Link stood, flabbergasted. Princess? This was the princess? He had no idea how to respond, so he settled for gawking like and idiot. This seemed to amuse the princess as she giggled slightly. She quickly composed herself and approached the boy more boldly._

"_I asked, what is your name. Please tell me. I would know the name of the one who was able to reach me here in my dreams." She said._

_Link moved his mouth soundlessly a couple of times before he finally managed to speak._

"_Link… my name is Link."_

"_Just Link?" she asked._

_He nodded slowly, "Just Link."_

_She seemed to examine him for a moment before speaking again. "What has happened to you? You don't seem to have purposely sought an audience with me. What could put your soul in such distress that it would call out to me?" She wondered._

"_Ah… Princess?" Link said quizzically. _

"_Forgive me, I was thinking out loud. I suppose you're just as confused as I am."_

_Link only nodded._

"_Do you know where we are, Link?" She asked._

"_No, Princess. I can't say that I do." He answered respectfully._

_She motioned around them, "This place is the empty space between sleep and wakefulness. Normally, this is where one would dream but, sometimes, people are able to interact, as we are now. It's quite complicated so I won't go into the details, but usually such methods would only be used in extreme situations." _

_Link blinked. "Extreme situations?"_

_The princess nodded. "That is why I asked what had happened to you. For your soul to have sought the assistance of the Princess of Hyrule, it must have been truly awful." She said in a sympathetic tone._

_Her words brought everything back to him: The blood, the pain, the fire, the running. He shivered and backed away, refusing to look the princes in the eye._

_Noticing this, she reached a dainty hand out and touched his arm._

"_It's going to be alright." She said reassuringly. "Where are you?"_

_He looked shaken. "I don't know… I don't know where I am. I…" His breathing became shallow and uneven. "I don't know what to do." He said desperately._

_The princess' eyes softened at the shaking figure before her. She moved to bring him closer to herself, but her hands were suddenly forced away by another pair of stronger hands._

_The interloper stood behind Link, whose eyes had widened to an unnatural size, grinning like a Cheshire cat. At first glance, it looked very much like the first boy. Further inspection revealed several differences._

_Its skin was ashen and and rough, as if calloused all over, giving it a diseased appearance. Its hair was greasy ebony, where the other's was dull blonde. The most outstanding feature was its eyes. It had crimson irises while the retinas surrounding it were pitch black: the eyes of a demon._

_The doppelganger's claw like nails dug into her delicate skin, drawing thin rivers of blood as it forced her hands away. It wrapped on of its sickly arms possessively around the trembling boy, in a mock embrace._

_Without so much as a word, it pulled the boy away, flinging both of them into the darkness. Link began to struggle, desperate to escape the shade._

_Zelda screamed and attempted to pursue the two, only to become lost in the darkness. "Link!" She shouted as he faded from her sight. "I'll find you!"_

…

He gasped and his eyes shot open. It was still dark, but not the suffocating darkness from his dream. His dream… he realized. It had seemed so real. The feeling of small hands on his arm, the shine of her warm eyes. He inhaled a deep breath.

His hands clenched, finding a warm blanket covering him. A little ways off, a campfire waned, unattended. There was a small pack, on the other side of the fire, surrounded by various items that he did not recognize.

He attempted to sit up, only to be pushed back down. His head jerked in the direction of whoever was there.

It was a woman, perhaps her mid thirties, with tanned skin a silver hair. Her clothing was simple and practical for travel, in shades of dark blue and polished armor. The one piece of ornamentation was the symbol of an eye with a single teardrop, emblazoned on her shirt above her chest plate. He noticed that her eyes were red but, somehow, seemed kind. Her calloused hands gently readjusted the blanket around him.

"Don't try to sit up yet. You're body is still to weak to move." She said firmly, but softly.

Link had a sense of déjà vu as he asked, "Who are you?"

She smiled slightly. "My name is Impa. I am a servant of the royal family. Who are you?"

"Link." He said simply.

She seemed satisfied with the answer and busied herself with her pack.

She returned a moment later with a bottle full of some dark red liquid. She sat him up, allowing his slight weight to rest against her and brought the bottle to his lips.

"What is it?" He asked distastefully upon smelling the bitter scent.

She chuckled slightly. "It's a potion from castle town. It has healing properties and will help to dull the pain." She explained before tipping the contents into his mouth.

Link dutifully swallowed, and resisted the urge to spit the stuff out. He stuck his tongue out, eliciting another chuckle from Impa. She lay him back down on his makeshift cot and put the bottle away.

She sat down across from him with her fingers laced in front of her. "Now, why are you out here? Is your home near by?"

Link pulled his lips into a tight line. "I don't have a home… at least, not anymore." He answered softly.

The woman nodded. "I see." Was all she said. "And where will you go now, Link?" She asked.

He simply shrugged. He really hadn't given much thought as to his destination. His mind wandered back to the ruins of his childhood home and, as often as he had wished to leave the secluded little village where he had grown up, he now found himself wishing that he would give anything to have his life go back to the way it was.

But that was impossible. His mother was dead and he knew that, if he were ever to step foot back in the village, he would soon follow her.

So that left him with only the option of moving on. Unfortunately, he hadn't the slightest idea of where he could go. He had no experience with the outside world or the people who lived there. He had no way of knowing what would become of him. The uncertainty was terrifying. Further more, he knew from experience that he couldn't depend on his body to stay strong.

Others would inevitably see how weak he was, which would prevent him from finding steady work. He sighed. He was certainly in over his head.

Impa, who sat across the fire, remained silent, allowing the boy time to think. She wasn't entirely sure what to make of him as of yet. For the little conversation they had had, she couldn't help but feel that he seemed a bit too standoffish, like a beaten animal.

When she had first found him he had been hardly breathing and, for a time, she was almost certain that he would not live to see the morning. He had proved far more resilient than she had initially thought.

She heard him sigh loudly, interrupting her reminiscing.

She cleared her throat before speaking, "If I may ask, what are you doing out this far into the Lost Woods? Most people are to afraid or superstitious to wander this far." She asked.

Link bit his lip blinked, a bit confused at her question. "What do you mean? There's a village not too far from here… or at least I think there is. I don't really know how far I ran." He said the last part in a low voice, as if not speaking to Impa.

Impa observed him patiently. After a few moments, he trailed off as if he had given up on speaking at all. "Link," she began cautiously. "Do you actually have anywhere to go?"

He flinched at the question and shook his head.

Seeing as he was not going to giver her a verbal response, she continued. "In that case, you should keep heading north, toward Hyrule field. From there I'm sure you could find somewhere to go. I'm sure you could find work in Castle Town." She advised.

Link was shocked at her suggestion, "You...ah… you want me to go to castle town?" he asked uncertainly.

Impa chuckled slightly. "Well why not? The people there are very friendly and I'm sure they would be happy to help you."

Link now looked completely baffled. "But… won't I just be a bother to them?"

Impa snorted, "Certainly not! There are all kinds of trades that I'm sure you would be good at. You needn't worry about such things."

It seemed too good to be true. Could he really just walk away from his old life? Could the vast lands beyond the forest really offer him the chance to escape? He could start over. No one would ever have to know about his life in the village. He could keep the accursed mark on his hand a secret. He wouldn't have to be a social stigma. He may even be able to find a job that wasn't such a strain on his health. Maybe… just maybe, he could be free.

"How far away is it?" He asked eagerly.

Impa smiled, "On foot, it's about ten day's journey to reach Hyrule Fields. Once there, just follow the roads to where you want to go.

Link practically sprang from his bedroll before stumbling and collapsing back onto his hands and knees.

Impa was at his side in a moment, tutting at him and helping him to lie back down.

"Now, while I certainly admire your drive, such things can wait until you've recovered." She chided gently.

Link, feeling quite foolish, could only blush and nod in response.

Impa stoked the camp fire and sat back down, "Try to get some rest, I'll be here when you wake up." She said with a gentle smile.

Although he had only been awake for a short time, Link found that his eye lids gave no resistance when he closed them, and he soon drifted off to a dreamless sleep.

* * *

**And there it is. Zelda and Impa make their first appearance and the story is finally getting started.. I tried to put a bit of comedy in at the end but I'm not sure it really panned out. Meh, whatever.**

**Anyways, hope you enjoyed it. If you want to leave a review, it would fill my heart with rainbows *does best Ghirahim impression***


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